Antiproton production and delivery for imaging and termination of undesirable cells

Abstract

Systems and methods for using antiprotons for terminating unwanted or undesirable cells which can be used in the treatment of conditions caused by the existence and/or proliferation of such undesirable cells. Such conditions include cardiovascular ailments, Parkinson's disease, wet macular degeneration, endocrine disorders, dermatological ailments, and cancer. Because of the unique nature of antiprotons and their annihilation characteristics, the preferred antiproton delivery device ( 1010, 1015, 1030 ) embodiments further incorporate detector arrays ( 1050 a ), capable of detecting characteristic emissions in the course of treatment.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus configured to image a patient having undesirable cells, the apparatus including;
 an entry port accepting antiprotons from an accelerator at a therapeutic energy level; 
 a fixture configured to immobilize a patient having undesirable cells; 
 a positron emission tomography scanner placed in proximity to the fixture and adapted to image positrons from positron emitting radioisotopes created by annihilations between the antiprotons at the therapeutic energy level and the undesirable cells, wherein a relative position of the fixture and the scanner allows an image, by the positron emission scanner, of the patient after exposure to the antiprotons at the therapeutic energy level. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fixture is configured to immobilize the patient either in a seated position or in a standing position. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , further including gamma-ray and pi-meson detectors which detect antiproton annihilation location. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the positron emission tomography scanner is proximate to a scanner that performs tomographical x-ray scans. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the positron emission tomography scanner is proximate to a scanner that performs magnetic resonance image scans. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including a computer system that controls the antiproton energy, position, and angle based on images gathered by the positron emission tomography scanner. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the computer system triggers commencement of positron emission tomography scans. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the computer system is adapted to monitor dosage of the antiprotons to the patient using images gathered by the positron emission tomography scanner. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the computer system also controls the altitude, reclining angle, and rotation of the fixture with respect to the entry port. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said accelerator reduces temperature of said antiprotons before reaching or at said therapeutic energy level. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said accelerator employs a stochastic cooling system to reduce the temperature of said antiprotons. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said accelerator employs an electron cooling system to reduce the temperature of said antiprotons. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said accelerator is a synchrotron. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said accelerator decelerates said antiprotons to said therapeutic energy level. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the positron emitting radioisotopes comprise oxygen-15, nitrogen-13, and carbon-11. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the exposure to the antiprotons at the therapeutic energy level is on a time scale short enough to collect the image with larger positron emission signals relative to background levels.